Should employers weigh in on politics? What Gen Z and baby boomers think

Employees want to work for companies that align with their personal morals and views, and that includes politics. But just how employers express that support is up for debate. 

Over the past 12 months, more than half of employees have talked about politics at work, according to a recent survey from Glassdoor. But interestingly enough, less than half of employees feel that employers should be taking a stance on political issues such as abortion, immigration or LGBTQ rights.  

Yet staying silent isn't the answer, either, Glassdoor found. Two-thirds of workers said that they feel supported when their company takes a public stance on an issue that they care about. Is there a balance employers and employees can strike? 

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"There's a blending happening between work and life," says Emily Killham, senior director of people, analytics, research and insight at Perceptyx. "[Employees] really find it important to identify with their workplace and be in a place where they have shared values."

While employees feel comfortable expressing their views and having political discussions, CEOs and other leaders need to tread lightly when it comes to these topics. Glassdoor found that over one-third of employees would not apply to open roles at a company, and 31% would consider leaving a job, if a company's CEO supported a political candidate who they did not agree with.

For many in the workplace, generational differences and experiences are shaping their approach to politics at work. Gen Z in particular is the most comfortable discussing politics, yet the least comfortable working with someone who doesn't share their views, Glassdoor found. Meanwhile, less than half of baby boomers feel comfortable talking about politics in the workplace. 

"T​​he formative experiences of each generation shape our expectations for work and for life," says Aaron Terrazas, chief economist at Glassdoor. "[The data] includes generations that went through their own political debates in the 1970s and 80s, so to some degree we're seeing these kinds of counter reactions." 

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So how can employers navigate difficult political conversations without alienating any one group, while also protecting their own interests? The first step is to engage with employees around these issues, through company-wide forums or ERGs. Creating spaces for productive conversations can build trust and a healthy dialogue.  

"It's really important to create an environment where managers build a level of psychological safety and people are allowed to bring their whole self to work," Killham says. "One where they are allowed to say they don't feel comfortable with a certain political conversation or that they're going to back out of a conversation."

Employers can also outline their values in job postings and on the organization's website, Killham says. This both communicates an organization's stance on issues that are relevant, and gives them a clearer guide for when it's appropriate to weigh in on social or political issues that align with their morals and values.  

While it may be uncomfortable, it's important employers are thoughtful about why they're speaking up, or staying silent, and allow employees to feel the same, Terrazas says.

"The biggest risk is perhaps not being transparent and vocal enough, particularly on these complicated topics," Terrazas says. "Employers should be really helping employees understand the full scope of thinking and logic behind why decisions were made to either speak up or not speak up on certain issues."